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Businessman jailed after ploughing into black tie marquee injuring 21

A businessman has been jailed for 16 months after a judge heard how he drunkenly drove his car through a black-tie marquee injuring 21 people.

Peter Bialek caused revellers to "bounce off the windscreen" of his silver Mercedes as he ploughed on for more than 20 yards.

He was more than twice the legal alcohol limit when he took over the wheel of the car from his partner.

His car crashed through tables and chairs in a scene which was described by witnesses as "like a bomb went off".

Credit: Hampshire Police

More than 300 people were at the charity event at Dene Farm in Nether Wallop, near Andover in Hampshire.

The court heard that Bialek suffers from sciatica, and had decided to leave the event with his partner because of his back pain at about 11pm.

But when they returned to their car they found it blocked in by other vehicles
and Bialek's partner, who had not been drinking, was unable to manoeuvre it out of the space near to the marquee.

Bialek, who was twice the drink-drive limit, took over, but as he attempted to
move the car, he lost control and the car careered 20 metres into the marquee, injuring 21 people, three seriously.

The 66-year-old from London Road in Salisbury, Wiltshire, had already pleaded guilty to three counts of grievous bodily harm without intent and a fourth charge of causing bodily harm by wanton or furious driving.